Author: Justin

Justin according to Sarah – thrives at almost anything he applies his head and heart to. He never stops learning, and loves dreaming up new challenges to grow himself. His introvert ways give him incredible insight into life's obstacles, of which he's had his share. But best of all, Justin fully engages in his relationship with God, our marriage and the beginning of parenthood. Oh, and he spoils us with great coffee and cooking!

How are your New Years Resolutions going? It's almost the end of February. Maybe you're on track - maybe you're off track. Maybe they never got clear enough to set, or maybe you intentionally decided not to set any at all. Whatever your case, odds are you at least thought about 2018 and how you wanted it to be different than 2017. I have a tradition. Every year, in the quiet week after Christmas but before New Years Eve, I take some space and think. I sit in...

Ever felt like you've just got WAY too much going on? Like you just need to get away and hide? Like the house of cards you've built in your busy-ness is about to collapse? And you just can't handle it? I have. And it's no joke. One time, I was in a particularly difficult season of life. The pace was high, and I was on the edge. I was in a meeting - a normal mundane meeting - and for no reason at all, I almost burst into tears. Stress had escaped the carefully crafted bounds...

Dads, let's be honest - have you ever faced a secret, shameful fear of going home at the end of the day? A quiet, back of your mind resistance to the drive home from the office? I've been there, and sometimes I'm still there. But it never used to be that way. I used to love the drive home. I'd put in a long, focused day at work. Often I'd be a little bagged. I'd have about 20 peaceful minutes before arriving at a quiet house. Sarah and...

The Chemex. I look forward to it every day - the sound of the paper filter as I unfold it and place it in the top of the chemex. The scent of the beans as I crank the first couple turns on my grinder. The steam of the arc of water coming out of the kettle wafting in the morning sunlight. The aroma as the coffee is infusing in the water. The steady, circular motions, and the quit drip of coffee into the carafe. Then finally, raising that cup of carefully crafted goodness to my lips....

I've been there. You've been there. I was on my first-ever solo vacation in the east coast. This was going to be a super cheap trip because I was going to camp all the way. I didn't really budget, or create any plan for that matter... I just went. Of course I wanted to hit a seafood spot or two in every province.. and camping wasn't quite as cheap as I expected. I pull my borrowed, black Toyota up to a gas station on a sunny day. I fill up my car to the...

The Aeropress. An amazing, cheap coffee invention from the inventor of the Aerobie frisbee - Alan Alder. It's the incredible, unlikely heir to the coffeemaker throne of greatness. If you buy one “pro” coffee making device, make it the aeropress. It’s the easiest, fastest, simplest way to an incredible cup of coffee - every time. And no one is paying me to say that. It takes very little practice to master and provides the quickest shortcut to the most amazing cups of coffee I’ve found. Seriously...

As promised – Justin is answering some questions to let us dig deeper into his real life faith story. You can get the episode by subscribing to Rose's podcast on iTunes, or listen in on the interview here: Your story is pretty extreme. How did you take criticism or doubt from those who didn't believe you? I could totally understand where people who were skeptical were coming from, and if I were in their shoes I likely wouldn't have believed it either. But you know, even in the moment, the skepticism...

Of all the small joys I find in life, enjoying coffee is what I’m asked about most. To some, it’s a necessity. To me, it’s therapy. A chance to slow down, work with my hands, focus, and craft something amazing. I have a whole post on why it's so important to me. Plus, the coffee you brew can make the world a better place – or not. Great coffee, and I mean really great coffee, has a mysticism about it. How do you make it? What’s the secret? What separates the best from the rest?...

I get panic attacks. I experience anxiety. I've fought long battles with depression. Many people who know me are surprised when I say that. Why is that? Even though talking about anxiety has become more normalized, I still find there to be a stigma around men openly talking about their experience with these things. (something I would love to change). After living with anxiety for over a decade, I've learned a lot about what works and what doesn't when it comes to managing it. I'll lay that out at the end –...

Ok - that title is a little tongue in cheek:) Seriously though - I LOVE coffee. In fact, as we were doing our research preparing to launch United and Untied, one topic that was most requested from people who knew me well was tips and tricks on how I've learned to make coffee! I'll admit - I have learned a lot about making coffee over the years and am definitely happy to share! But how does that fit into the big picture here? Isn't this blog about exploring...